The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-10-11

ulu6I6uL SctIl6neuLS VI tE6 lcTIiLOIy,
they adopted constitution and sent
delegates to Washington to ask that the
Territory of Utsh-also great portion
of the surrounding Territories-with
the inhabitants, be admitted as q State
in the Union. Did this look like dis
position on their part to estab lish the
union of church and state, or to estab
lish an ecclesiastical government Not
at all. The men who came here were
American citizens. They were imbued
with the spirit Of the Constitution of
our country, but they did not rest in
that, but they learned from their earli-
est boyhood and womanhood to appre-
ciate the declaration of independence
as the sentiments of their own COM
munity. They believed in the Consti
tuition of the United States. They had
been taught by their great spiritual
teacher, the Prophet Joseph Smith. that
that instrument was given by the in
spiration of God-given for the benefit
of the community-for the benefit OF all
who might come within its influence.
Why, then, should they seek to estab
lish any government except that under
which they had been reared and taught
to understand had been given by the in
spiration of God? There has never been
disposition on the part of this people
t. find fault with the laws of our coun-
try. Why, then, find fault with this, the
way the laws are administered under
the Constitution. They have taken ex-
ceptions to the administration of the
laws and the application of those prin
ciples to them, believing that the man
ner in which certain laws have been
passed, and the way they have been
administered, are in antagonism to the
spirit of our Constitution, and are at
variance with the Institutions Of the
United States. But because We take
exceptions to the administration there
of, that does not demonstrate that we
are opposed to the principles of our
government, but only those which are
antagonistic to the fundamental prin-
ciples upon which the Constitution OF
our country is founded. This l regard
as our position in regard to church and
state. We do not believe in it. We
are opposed to the union of church and
state. And while we, as Latter-d
SAINTS, reserve all rights guaranteed to US
as American citizens, we do not do this
with a view to establish the union of
church and state. The people who have
come here, part from the old country
and from the different countries in
Europe, what has been their custom
What is the rule they maintain
Have they maintained their al
legiance to those countries from
which they came? No. Just as
soon as they have been here the neces-
sary length of time, and acquired SUI
fcient knowledge of the institutions of
the country, they have gone forth and
declared their intention to observe the
Constitution of the United States and
to support the laws and institutions of
this country. presume in no Terri
tory has this been so general as it has
been in this Territory. The people have
become American citizens. They have
become identified with the institutions
of this country, and those principles
which were declared by the Declaration
OF Independence and which have been
handed down TO, us from the fathers
OF this country, "the right of the people
to govern themselves. ""ThIs is 4 gov
eminent OF the people, for the people
and by the people" and we as Latter
day Saints believe in these principles,
in the doctrine of Democracy. l have
frequently stated, in speaking OF our
democratic people in the world.
Even in the church organization
we are democratic. We are democratic
here to-day. In no church or COM
munity of religious character On the
earth are the local officers of the
church presented to the whole people
for their vote from time to time, as is
done in this, community. We do not
assemble for the purpose OF getting the
people to vote one way, for they have
the right to vote for or against the au-
thorities of the church as they choose.
But" says one, "they all vote one
way" Suppose they do; they can
vote the other way if they choose and
desire to: but they vote as one, because
they have confidence in the men stand
ing at the head. Is it unconsti-
tutional to be united? Certainly not. In
union there is strength, and the
strength of the Latter-day Saints is in
their union. And this is one of the
things that probably draws upon US
prejudice and i'll will. That w
are so united, that we all vole
one way, that because We are
one. There is nothing illegal
about this; we have right to vote SIS
we please II we choose TO vote for our
friends instead of our enemies, we have
perfect right to do so.
lneSe peOpl6-[HeI SLIST-Oay SailiS-
nave everything to encourage them il
their allegiance to this country in
being loyal TO its insututions-snd
although at times we meet with men
who are against US, still we have those
great principles upon which this gov
eminent is founded, and we cling to
them because in them We find that lib
ertv, that freedom, that liberty Of CON
science which we have always claimed
and always maintained.
Ny brethren, rejoice in those prin-
ciples. l rejoice in those principles
upon which our government is founded
I rejoice in the principles of the gospel
and there is nothing antagonistie be-
tween the great fundamental principles
of this government and the principles
of the gospel which have been revealed
to US in our day for the salvation and
exaltation Of the human family. We
have everything to encourage us. Lei
US then, my brethren and sisters. b.
united in regard TO these principles.
Let US not only contend for the faith
once delivered to the Saints, but let as
contend earnestly for those principles
which were delivered to US and which
have been handed down to US by the
fathers on this country, the principles
declared by the Declaration of Inde-